Aside from Topo Chico, margaritas are the official drink of Austin. No sultry weekend can pass by without a clamor for the ice-cold beverage, sipped on a sunny patio.
The first night of Big Summer Potluck had us mingling and munching on Tex-Mex snacks, and every so often someone would wander by with a pink-filled mason jar. I tracked them down to a big cooler filled with jars, and had (perhaps more than) my share of Chambord margaritas. It’s a brilliant idea, and when planning my husband’s birthday party I knew I had to make a big batch myself. At the liquor store, however, I was staring at the Chambord, thinking about how I really don’t need to have a bottle of that AND triple sec laying around the house, when I noticed the Paula’s Texas Orange just a shelf over. Paula’s products are made right here in Austin and are wonderful additions to cocktails, and are a natural fit for margaritas.
These are great for parties or just keeping on hand when you need a margarita at the end of the day. All you need to do is mix everything together, pour it into jars, and freeze. The alcohol content ensures they stay slushy, so they’re ready to go right out of the freezer. Just pop a straw in, and the party can start.
Mason Jar Margaritas
Makes approximately 18 half-pint jars
64 ounces water
2 cans frozen limeade
3 tablespoons lime juice
24 ounces tequila
24 ounces Paula’s Texas Orange*
Mix everything together in a large pot. Ladle into mason jars, place lids, and screw on rings. For ease of transport and storage, put jars back into the original box flat. Store in freezer for at least two hours, until ready to serve.
*You can substitute Cointreau if you don’t have access to Paula’s.
Edited to add: You can swap out the frozen limeade concentrate with homemade lime concentrate. Mix 1 cup of fresh squeezed lime with 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar. Simmer until sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool completely before mixing with margarita ingredients.
 |
PDF 
Hi,
these mason margaritas look perfect for the coming weekend; after labor day…can you tell me what would be an equivalent to Paula’s Texas Orange…(thx to under the highchair a Montreal neighbor and good luck to all on your new quest to blog w/o borders…)
[Reply]
Megan Reply:
September 5th, 2011 at 4:44 pm
Hi Natalie! The closest equivalent would be Cointreau (I edited the post to reflect that). The original recipe used half triple sec and half Chambord.
[Reply]
I’m about to Stumble this so I can find it again.
I love the idea of freezing the drinks in the mason jars. Ready-to-go margaritas, in cute drink jars? Genius!
[Reply]
Sorry. You lost me with the two cans of frozen limeade. Try 1 part tequila, one part triple sec, and one part fresh lime juice with ice cubes in a salt-rimmed glass. If you can’t get fresh lime juice, don’t even consider a substitute. You’re better off drinking Dos Equis.
[Reply]
Megan Reply:
September 5th, 2011 at 9:12 pm
@Sally, I added a note at the bottom for making your own limeade concentrate. Thanks for your note on traditional margaritas. If that’s what I was going for, I wouldn’t have posted this. Cheers!
[Reply]
I am as big a margarita snob as the next Austin girl, but don’t knock this frozen limeade version until you’ve tried it. Or until your sister-in-law has made them for summer outings for six or seven or fourteen years. Because, and this comes from a woman who has four different kinds of tequila in her bar, Paula’s in her freezer, and three sizes of margarita glasses, this recipe absolutely has a place in the margarita universe.
[Reply]
We used to do essentially the same thing using rum. They were supposed to be daiquiris. I thought they were great until someone made me the real thing. I’ve never looked back.
The recipe I gave above is the one I got off the Tequila Sauza bottle when I was a graduate student in Mexico City in the 1960′s.
The rest of you are free to enjoy your beverage made with frozen limeade, but I will stick to the real McCoy or Dos Equis.
[Reply]
What a great post- thank you for sharing. I can’t wait to try these, limeade all
. I appreciate all the details you provided as well.
[Reply]
Thank you for posting this Megan. I am an Austinite that has been living in Albuquerque, NM for the past 21 years. I proposed to my wife in the photo booth at Chuy’s 21 years ago, just after I popped in the quarters. We still have the pix! Yes, we were drinking frozen margaritas then too.
We make another Austin recipe that is very similar to yours. The frozen limeade is great in this frozen drink and on the rocks. Your idea of pre-freezing them in mason jars is brilliant! Cheers!
[Reply]
I absolutely need to make these. Love the idea of putting them back in the case! Brilliant.
[Reply]
Love this idea Megan. I might be a bit of a margarita snob even if ‘just’ hailing from Colorado. Good tequila, orange liqueur and not triple sec and yes, fresh squeezed lime juice for simple syrup (and lemon; I do a blend).
But the truth is…that margarita takes time; I also like to let the juices and liquor meld for several hours so when in a pinch and company is coming over…I’ve done the frozen juices and no one has EVER complained. For me, the good tequila and good orange liqueur is just as important, maybe more so.
[Reply]
Ok, trying this receipe tonight. Any suggestions for this version of strawberry margaritas?
[Reply]
Megan Reply:
October 26th, 2011 at 10:51 am
Hey Shannon! For strawberry, I would try replacing half the lime for pureed strawberry. Good luck!
[Reply]
Do you know how long these would keep? Kinda liking the idea of making a batch to store in the freezer and bring out when we have guests (or a Tuesday…).
[Reply]
Megan Reply:
March 20th, 2012 at 11:22 am
I’m not sure how long you can store them, but I don’t think there would be any harm in storing them for up to 6 months. The only thing that might happen is the flavor would degrade a bit.
[Reply]
I was wondering the same thing as far as storing them for a later use and the ability to give them as gifts. More or less a way to keep a shelf life like canning these.
[Reply]
What size can of limeade?
[Reply]
Megan Reply:
March 20th, 2012 at 11:23 am
It’s a standard 12-ounce size.
[Reply]
I made these for a party we had this weekend and they were a huge hit! I’ll be keeping them in the freezer at all times. FYI…this recipe makes about 12 pint jars a little more than 3/4 full.
[Reply]
I seriously can’t wait to try these. LOVE the idea.
PS: featured you on http://masonjarcraftsblog.com.
[Reply]